1-on-1 with Chad Harris: From Broke Teacher to 50+ Rentals with No Banks

In this episode of Investor 1-on-1, we sit down with Chad Harris, founder of True Wealth Investors, a Dayton, Ohio–based investor who’s built a thriving real estate business without relying on banks.Chad’s story is one of resilience and reinvention.In 2012, he lost his teaching job and found himself living in a borrowed house, driving a borrowed car, and facing mounting bills. With no savings, no job, and no safety net he went all in on real estate.Through the BRRRR method and by building trust with private lenders, Chad scaled smart—acquiring and managing 50+ rental properties while avoiding the stress and risk most landlords face.Today, he’s not only a full-time investor but also the host of the True Wealth Investors Podcast, where he shares his journey and teaches others how to build income, freedom, and impact through real estate.If you’ve ever wondered how to start from zero and build a life of financial freedom through real estate—this episode is for you.📌 Timestamps:00:00–01:24 – Intro01:25–05:14 – Let’s go back to 2012—what was going through your head when your job ended and you decided to dive into real estate with no money, no car, and bills piling up?05:15–10:42 – Most people would’ve looked for another job—what gave you the confidence to bet on yourself and start investing full-time?06:55–14:55 – You bought your first 50+ doors without any bank financing—how did you structure those early deals, how did you find those deals?11:25–19:30 – Tips for investors starting out13:20–23:10 – Creative financing strategies working for Chad15:15–17:09 – You now manage over 50 doors without the headaches most landlords complain about—what are the key systems you’ve put in place?17:10–18:59 - What was your biggest “oh no” moment as an investor—and what did you learn from it? Hardest part of being an investor19:00–20:49 - Hardest part of being a real estate investor20:50–22:19 - Why private money?22:20–23:34 - How to find private money?23:35–24:39 - Where is the market heading to?24:40-26:14 - If he has to start his real estate career from scratch today, how would he do it?26:15-27:59 - More bout his podcast28:00-end - What's next for Chad?🔔 Subscribe for more 1-on-1 interviews with the nation’s top real estate investors.Connect with Chad:🎧 True Wealth Investors Podcast  / truewealthinvestors   .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}